Refrigerator



PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908. G. F. SGHRADER. Y REFRIGERATOR. APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 16, 1906.

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wen@ l I y PATENI'ED AUG'. 25, 1908. G. F. SGHRADER. REFRIGERATOR. AP'PLIOATIN FILED AUG.16, 1906.

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PATENTED AUG. 25, l1908.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1906.

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@2M-MJ PATENTE!) AUG. 25, 1908.

G. F. SCHRADER. REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1906.

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UNITED STATES :PATENT OFFICE@ GEORGE F. SCHRADER, OF SARANAO LAKE, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-THIRD TO-MILO B. MILLER AND ONE-THIRD TO BENJAMIN DUFFY, OF SARANAC LAKE,\NEW YORK.

'REFRIGERATOR i Specification -of Letters Patent:

Patented Aug. 25, 1908,.

Application filed August 16, 1906. Serial No. 330,765.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, GEORGE FSCHRADER, of Saranac Lake, county of Franklin, and State of NewYorlg have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyg ing drawings, Vforming a part of the specification, and to the reference'numeralsmarked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in cases for the preservation of meats, vegetables and other perishable goods, and its object is to provide such acase that is particularly adapted for use as a show case wherein the goods may be inclosed and 'prowhile they may be displ( yed or on exhibition, the methodof supplying and controlling the refrigerating medium being such-that a positive circulation of the refrigerated air or other cooling medium is insured at all times, and the entrance of the Warmer air from the atmospherel during the opening of the door orgloors ofthe provision chamber, is prevented.

To these and other-ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as. Will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel featuresv being@ pointed out in the claims at the end ofthe specification. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front eleva: tion of a show case constructed in accord-ance with my present invention, showing the method of supplying the refrigerated air or other cooling medium thereto. Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinal-section of the case, the air-controlling valves being shown in such positions as to cause circulation of air provision chamber. Fig- 3 represents a transverse section through the case on the line 3'-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the case, showing the lue arrangement in the' base thereof. Fig. 5 represents a section through the inletand provision chamber, the air controlling valves-being in proper ositions to cause a direct circulation o air through the base, and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are .detail views of the valve operating and controlling devices.

Snnllar reference numerals 1n the several figures indicate similar parts.

vinlet being formed My invention, briefly stated, embodies a' suitably constructed case, preferably adapted for use as a show case for the display, as well asv thepreservation of perishable goods, and is provided vwith passages for conducting cold air to and from the provision chamber,

,the case having valves so constructed and arranged that under normal conditions a constant circulation of cold air will be maintained through the provision chamber and` the base of the case, but While the door leadingto the provision chamber of the case is in opened position, the circulatlon o f air through the provision chamber w1ll be interrupted in order to prevent entrance of the warmer air from the exterior of the case, the cold air at this time passing directly through the base beneath the provision chamber and it is preferable that the controlling valves I should be operated before the provision chamber door has been opened, and also after it has been closed, for the reason that this will interrupt the circulation of air through the. provision ychamber befere the door has been opened, and the circulation will not be restablished until the door has been closed.

4The refrigerator shown in the present embodiment of my invention comprises a lower or base section, and an upper section composed mainly of glass to form a transparently inclosed provision chamber, the glass plates at the top and sides of the upper section being double and suitably spaced to fornian air insulating space between them; but it will be understood, of course, that any suitable form of provision chamber may be employed as desired.

The'base section is formed of slate or other suitable material, and in form is generally rectangular and of suitable dimensions to cover and close the bottom of the provision chamber,"a partition 1 formed of a slab of slate or other material, serving to separate the provision and base chambers, and also providing a floor for supporting the provi.-

sions tol be refrigerated or preserved. In this partition are formed an air inletZv and an air outlet 3 for the provision chamber, the at the upper discharge end of the lcold air supply caslng 4, While the outlet from the provision chamber discharges into the base at the opposite end of the ca se, a valve 5 being provided for controlling the flow of air through this outlet.

' Any suitable form of valvesmay be employed for controlling the-flow of the inlet and' outlet, those shown being of the pivoted door type, the valve 6 being pivoted at the upper end of the air supply casing 4, nately with the valve seats 7 an 8, the latter being arranged around an inlet opening 8 leading directly from the air supply casing into the hollow base, the iniiowing air being cut ofi' from the base and passing into the provision chamber when the valve occupies the position eshown in Fig. 2, while when this valve occupies the position shown in Fig. 5, the supply of air tothe provision chamber will be cut off, and a direct passage for the air is established through the base.

In order to insure circulation of the cold air throughout all parts of the hollow base,

it is preferable to provide one or more delectors 9 and 10, to serve as flues for conducting the cold air to all parts of the base, the deflector 9 also cold air inlet 8 from the air outlet 11 through which the air from the provision chamber and the base discharges,

the air from discharging directly without circulating through the base.

Refrigerated air is supplied to `the case .referably from an ordinary icc box or cooling chamber such as are in common use in -meat and provision markets for cooling and preserving perishable goods, and it is preferable to draw the cold air into the case by connecting an exhaust fan 12 to the air dischar e 11 of the case,l the air inlet for the case eing connected to the ice box or cooling chamber by a pipe 18, so that as the fan exhausts the air from the show case, fresh air will be drawn from the ieeboX and the exhaust fan may be provided with a -branclicd air through.

and arranged to cooperate alter-l serving to divide olf the y and thus prevent employed for vmounted in suitable bearings set that circulation of air through the provision chamber is cut off, and the valves should A remain the provision chamber has been closed, when the circulation of air through the provision chamber is automatically restablishcd. This result is accomplished in the present embodiment of my invention by providing suitable operative connections between the securing or locking device for the door leading to the provision chamber, and the valves, so that when the door is unfvastened preparatory to its opening, thevalves will be automatically operated before the door is opened, to interrupt the circulation of air through thelprovisioii chamber, and after the door has been closed, manipulation ofv the doors securing device will automatically serve to operate the valves to vreestablish the air circulation through the provision chamber.

Any suitable mechanical 'devices may be accomplishing the automatic the air controlling valves as operation of the devices shown in the above described,

present embodiment of thefinvention comprising a reciprocatory (-rperating bar. 1S

15) secure-d to the inside' of the rear-wall of the ease adjacent to the opening 'for the door 2() which provides access to the provision chamber, and this bar ipe 14, having onebranch ltleading back i to the ice box, and the other branch leading to the atmosphere, a valve 16 serving to controlthe discharge of the air to either the ice box or the atmosphere as may be desired. Of course, in cold weather, instead of drawing the cold air from an lice box, it may be drawn from the atmosphere, and ,the show case is so constructed that equally well in either case.

The valves for controllingtherair circulav provided for the purpose of enablingffrequent access to the casefor the purpose of removing and replacing oods without liability of spoiling the goo s contained in the show case, and in order toprevent the entrance of warm' air into the provision chamber wherever the door or doors leading thereto are opened, it is referable to operate the aii' eoi'itrolling va ves automatically, that is to say, they should be so`constructed and arranged that before the door to the provision chamber is vvit will operate.

3l respectively,

is provided with a'pin or projection 21 thereon arran'ged to cooperate with a cani .22v secured to the inner end of astud shaft 23, the latter being journaled iii and extending through the wall of the case. andprovided at its outer end'witli'a locking device. 24 adapted lto be rotated by hand for locking and unlocking the door 20, the cainll serving to reciprocate the bar 1S to the. right, Fig. '2., as the locking loyer is rotated into unlocked position, and a spring 25 srving to return the. bai' 1S to normal position when the locking lever for the door returned to locked position. This bar la is provided with pi'ojections 2,6 and 27 arranged to operate in the slots 2S and 2S) o'l' the. bell ci'ank levers 30 and the latter being pivoted at 32 and 32% respectivelyvr to the relatively lixe-d hearing brackets I-t and 35 and. having their free arms 3o and 37 pivotally connected to the links 3S and 3S). The. link 3S is pivotally connected to the valve 5 which controlseomininication between the base and the provision chamber, so that the operation of the bar lbwill reciprocate the. link 3S to open and close this valve; wliiletlie link 8l) has its lower end pivotally attached to the outer end of a crank arm 4 0 fixed to a rock shaft 41, the latter being mounted in suitable. bearings 42 and 43, and having a.valve-operating arm 44 mounted thereon.

For the purpose of insuring the lirni closing ofthe valve 6 on its upper valve seat to eifectually close the inlet 2 leading to the opened, the controlling valves should bc so provision chamber, `it isy-preferable toniount so set until after the door tollfi the valve-operating arm 44` loosely onI its shaft 41, and to fix on the shaft Aa stop-collar 45 havingla projection 46 thereon arranged to cooperate witha corresponding projection 47 on the hub of the valve-operating arm 44,

vthese stops serving to normally limit the of the link 49, and should the operating bar' move too far, the springwill compensate for the excess movement without disturbing the relation between the valve and the door-securing device. It is preferable to provide either or bothy of the links 38 or 39 which connect the main operating bar 18 withthe air controlling valves, with suitable means ofadjustment to enable proper setting of the valves, and this is conveniently accomplished in the present instance by forming the link of two sections 50 and `51 having overlapping ends slotted 'longitudinally to receive the securing bolts 52, such a connectionjbetween the sections of the link permitting the latter to be lengthened or shortened as may be necessary. l

A, vrefrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly adapted for use in cases where itis desirable or necessary to have frequent access tothe goods contained therein, as the arrangement ofthecirculatory; assages as described, and the automatical y operated valves forcontrolling the iiow of the cooling or refrigerating l medium serve to automatically cut off communicaiOn between the circulating air and the provision chamber before access can be had to the latter, thereby preventing Warm air from being drawn into `the provision chamber whenever it is,l necessary to open -be kept cool even though the the door thereof1 and remove or introduce the goods, andthe continuous circulation of the cooling medium through the base, maintains vthe dividing partitionbetween the provision and base chambers at a very low temperature, so thatathe goods resting thereon will door to therefrigerating chamber is opened.` frequently or kept open for comparatively long periods.

Of course, in cases employing a plurality of doors for the provision chamber', the valves will be operated whenever any of the doors' are operated, for in su'cheases the operating bar 18 is provided with a projection .arranged to coperatewithfthe securing or locking devicel for. each door, a`ndthis bar'will -be operated whenever lany of the door securing devices areoperated.` I

' By suppllying the refrigerated air or other cooling me um in the manner described, thev annoyance and additional expense of keeping ice in the show case is avoided, as the ice used in the usual ice box 1s utilized for cooling the show ease, the piping between the ice box y and show case being readily arranged in inbase, and communicating at opposite ends with the passage and having a Wall inA common with the base, of means for positively .circulating a coolingmedium, having passages leading therefrom to the base circulating passage and provision chamber and means for controlling communication be'- tween the provision chamber and the circulating passage in the base.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination with a base having an air circulating passage therein, of a provision chamber located upon said base and having a wall in common with the base, openings providing communication between the ends of the provision chamber and the passage in the base, means for causing a positive circulation of air in the base and in the provisionichambe'r, and valve devices for controlling the openings between the v circulating passage and the provision chamber.

3. In a refrigerator, the combination with a provision chamber having a door for aording access thereto vand means for supplying a cooling medium to the provision chamber, of valve devices for cutting 'ed the cooling` medium from the chamber, securing device for 'the door operable independently thereof and connections between said valve devices and the vsecuring device insuring a com lete closing of said valve devicesk before t e door is opened.

4. In a refrigerator, the combination with a suitable refrigeiating oi provision chainbei adapted to be connected to a source of cold air supply, a door for aording access to said cham ing the cutting off of the iow of air to the provision chamber before the door is opened.

er and a securing device for lsaid door loperated independently thereof, of means vcontrolled by said securing device forlinsur- 5. In a refrigerator, lthfe combination with a provision chamber adapted to receive refrigeratedair from a suitable source, a door for affording access to said chamber, and a device for locking and unlocking said door, of..V

means operated bysaid device when the latter 4is movcdto unlocked position for interrupting thc circulation of air in the provision a refrigerating chamber a valve mounted in said easing to 'close communication between the refriger# l jacent thereto therein adapted to be connected to a source,

` an outlet-discharging chamber, and for establishing air circulation therein when said device is moved into locked position. I

6. In a refrigerator, the combination with a provision chamber, and a base arranged adhaving a circulatory passage of -refrigerated air supply, and an inlet and outlet communicating with the vprovision chamber, of means for closing the inlet and outlet leading chamber and simultaneously opening the circulatory passage of the base to establish a flow of air therethrough.

7. In a refrigerator, the combination with a base having a source of air supply connected thereto, and having Aa discharge therefrom, and a provision chamber having an inlet communicating with the source of air supply, and into the base, of means for closing the inlet and outlet of the provision chamber and opening the inlet of the base vto establish an air circulation in the base. y 8. In a refrigerator, the a suitable refrigerating chamber having an inlet and outlet therein, anda base arranged beneath said chamber having an inlet Aand discharge therein, of a valve having seats surrounding the inlets forthe refrigerating chamberand' the base and arranged to alternately close one of said inlets and open the other.

- 9. In a refrigerator, the combination with having an air inlet and outlettherein, and a base arranged adhaving an air circujacent to said chamber lating passage therein, of anair supply casing connected to a suitable source of refrigerated air supplyhaving a discharge into the circulating passage of the base and coinmunicating with the air inlet for the refrigerator, and and arranged ating chamber and the source of supply, and to establish a flow of air through the air cireulating passage of the base.

10. In a refrigerator, the combination with a refrigerating chamber an air circulating the outlet of neath said chamber-having passage communicating with .the said chamber and having a discharge, of a chamber and to' open an'd to close the circulating passage of the base.4

- 11. In a refrigerator, the combination with a refrigerating chamber having an air-outlet, and a hollow base having a discharge opening and communicating with the outlet of said chamber, and a valve controlling communication between the outlet of said 'chamber and the base, of an air supply easing adaptedto ylbe-'connected to a suitable source of refrigerated air supply and having air openings combination with.

having an air inlet and outlet therein, and a base arranged beto and from the provision` outlet openings therein,

latter, of a valve lleading tothe refrigerating chamber and to the hollow base, anda valve for controlling said last mentioned openings.

12. In a refrigerator, the combination with having air inlet and of a hollow base' arf ranged adjacent to said chamber having com-l munication toward one end with the outlet of the refrigerating chamber and provided with an air inlet and a discl'iarge opening toward its opposite end, deilectors forming [lue passages in the base for conducting the air from said air inlet to said discharge opening, and a valve for controlling the circulation of air in the refrigerating chamber and the base. 13. In a refrigerator,- the combination with a refrigerating chamber, and a hollow base arranged adjacent to said chamber, ofan air supply casing having openings leading to the refrigerating chamber and to the base, a valve seat for each opening, and a pivoted valve arranged' to cooperate with either of said valve seats for` controlling the flow of air to the refrigerating chamber and to the base. -14. In a refrigerator, the combination with a transparently incloscd provision chamber having air inlet and outlet openings, of a base arranged beneathsaid chamber having an air passage adapted to communicate with the outlet opening of said chamber and having a discharge opening therein, a valve for controlling said outlet opening, an air supply casing adapted to be connected to a suitable source of refrigerated air supply and having openings 'leading to the provision chamber and` to the air passage in the base, and a valve for closing the air opening leading to the provision chamber and simultaneously opening the opening leading to base.

15. In a refrigerator, the combination with a refrigerating chamber communicating with a source of refrigerated `air supply, a door for affording access to said chamber, and a securing device for said door, of a valve operated by thedoor securing device for insuring the cutting ofl' of' the circulation of air in said chamber before the door is opened. 1.6. In arefrigerator, the combination a refrigerating chamber with a refrigerating Jchamber adapted to receive refrigerated air'froin a suitable source of supply, a 4door for 'affording access to the refrigerating chamber, and a securing device for said door operable .independently of the for controlling the flow of air through said chamber, a recipiocatoiy bar operatively connected to said valve, and means provided on the door securing device for operating said bar.

17. In a refrigerator, the combination with the refrigerating chamber having 'air inlet and outlet openings, and a base provided with inlet and dischargeopenings, of a pivoted valve arranged to swing into two positions to alternately close the inlet openingsv 13 ofthe chamber and base respectively, a rock shaft, a valve operating arm arranged on said shaft and operatively connected to the valve,V

valve for controlling the supply of air to the inlet openin s of the chamber and base, a reciprocatory ar arranged to be operated b said door controlling device, a rock sha t operatively connected to said" bar, and a valve o erating. arm yieldingly' connected to said roc i shaft and operatively connected to the valve for ,operating the'latter simultaneously with the operation of the door-controlling device.

19. The combination With a refrigerator embodying a provision chamber havingl a door for affording access thereto, and a base adjacent to the provision chamber adapted tocommunicate with the latter at its ends and having an air assage therein and a wall in common with t e provision chamber, of:

means for maintaining a continuous and positive flow of cold air from a suitable source through the refrigerator, and means for preventing the flow of lairthrough the'provision chamber thereof when the door ofthe. latter is in o ened position.

20. he -eombinationwith a refrigerator embodying l a provision chamber having a door for aordln access thereto, 'and a base adjacent thereto aving a passage therein, of means for positively inducing a flow of cold air from asuitable source to the refrigerator,

and means for controlling the flow of air4 through the provision chamber and the base passage of the refrigerator according to thel positlon occupied by the said door.

GEORGE F. SCHRADER.`

Witnesses: 'j Y z E. L. YOUNG, I-I. P. CoA'rs. 

